Stuart's Music under new ownership

LANSDALE — Stuart’s Music has been in the family since the 1940s, when Robert Stuart first taught music part-time out of his home on Derstine Avenue. The business was recently sold to Don Reese, and although he may not share the family name, the store will always be Stuart’s.

In 1951, Robert Stuart moved his business to West Main Street in Lansdale, where it still sits today. Jim Stuart, Robert’s son, took over the business when his father passed away in 1988. During the past few years, though, Stuart’s been looking for a buyer; at 68, he’s ready to retire.

A mutual friend introduced him to Don Reese, and Stuart realized he had found the right person to continue his family’s business. Reese has never worked in retail before, but he’s taught music for the past 22 years. He plays “anything with strings and frets,” including guitar, bass, banjo, mandolin and even ukelele.

Reese is keeping the name of the store because “the neighborhood knows it,” he said. He’ll be making a few inventory changes, though, and plans on bringing in more music teachers. Currently, there are teachers for piano, flute, violin, percussion and guitar. “I’d love to get more teachers for woodwind instruments,” Reese said.

As far as the store’s inventory, Reese will be introducing a few new guitar brands, including Durango Guitar Works. No one else in the area carries these guitars, Reese said, and they’re an inch-and-a-half shorter than a traditional guitar, perfect for those with smaller statures.

He’s currently waiting on an order of xaphoons, which he described as “pocket saxophones.” The plastic instruments use reeds and sound like a cross between a saxophone and a clarinet.

Although Stuart has technically retired, he will continue to teach some of his longtime guitar students.